True Cat Story

 

Cassidy left/Alfredo right

Bird center

 

Cassidy the Complainer

I have read many verses that remind me not to complain about anything but to give thanks in all things. I have contemplated on the fact my cat Cassidy certainly does not represent the proper illustration for teaching believers not to complain. I do not believe Cassidy will ever grasp this concept.  Though Cassidy is my cat, I have to confess she is also a beggar and a whiner—attributes not befitting a Christian; Philippians 2:14. She has to have her own way and no one can argue with her. She will plague you until she gets what she wants.  Sometimes I will tell her just a minute and she will be still and quiet for that minute, but not much longer. If I am not attentive as promised, she will screech and place my nerves on edge.  She knows all the off-key ear-hurting tunes and which ones work best.  

Christians are called not to fuss, complain and worry, as God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and has every hair numbered on our heads.  Nothing escapes His notice including our needs. Everything that arrives in our life is for a reason, to cause us to change and grow.  Every circumstance is to bring us to the place of spiritual maturity.  We are to ensure that we never cease to walk in the fruits of the Spirit. We are to learn to flee fleshly desires and tendencies through our trials and temptations.  One main fleshly desire is to complain. The Bible teaches that the unsaved are grumblers and those who follow sensual lusts (Jude 16) and we must witness the opposite. 

Even though our cat Alfredo is not a believer, and does not own an eternal soul, he is Mr. Easy Going. The Bible teaches that we can learn from critters and Alfredo is one who can teach his observers to simply rest and not fuss.  Cassidy could never teach humans any good thing, I am afraid. Now, I must pause here and change what I have stated to a degree, as Cassidy is very loving towards me.  Unfortunately, her attributes cannot travel farther as she is a snob and partial. She snubs very well. She loves only me and hates everyone else and every critter. She could never love our neighbors as herself, let alone Alan (my husband), our sons or Alfredo. 

Alfredo does not complain about anything and loves everybody and everything. He also is thankful in all things; 1 Thessalonians 5:18.  If he were human, he would verbally give thanks in all circumstances. If he could wear a smile, he would have one pasted on his cute countenance.  He never has a bad day. 

Cassidy’s favorite and only desired pillow is her royal gold one, which she authoritatively lays upon on our waterbed. She sets up a countenance like that of an admired queen. Her posture only lacks a scepter. (Now, I might state here, that Cassidy isn’t as young and fit as in her former days. Please, don’t get me wrong, she can still hunt like a tiger, but she just isn’t as agile as in years past. Sometimes, she will try and jump on our elevated bed, where her gold pillow sometimes lies; but she simply can’t make it up that high at times.  I will see her face for a swift moment popping up, but then down it goes.  She is determined and usually can land her entire self on her second attempt after composing herself.)

Cassidy could never grasp the concept of lowliness—she does believe she is queen.  Believers are to be lowly in mind and action, always exercising humility of mind. This all goes along with not complaining. If we recognize we are deserving of nothing, we accept the fact there is nothing that should distress us. We are called to be nobodies, never desiring to exalt ourselves only Christ Jesus; 2 Corinthians chapter 12. We are always to consider each person as being more important than ourselves, as commanded in Philippians 2:3. We are exhorted to display the lowly and obedient heart of Christ who possessed a heart that was willing to suffer a painful death, placing Himself last and in our stead.  

________

Cassidy video with my sons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0Ik4gKVCc  She only loves me!

Val Lee  (Author of Cliques in the Church, Apostasy in the Church, and Queen Esther/Looming Holocaust—see Amazon.com. These books can also be read at http://vallee7.wordpress.com/. I also write and submit photos for Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures http://leesbird.com/ ”Through the Looking Glass of Val Lee”)

Pretty-boy Alfredo; The Unconventional Cat!

Our cats are so opposite!  Let me tell you about it…Alfredo is a homebody—a collector of love and affection. He is so spoiled; we even have toys for him including play mice. He doesn’t enjoy outdoor life that much.  Yes, you can tell by the photo that he is red and hairy all over just like the Biblical Esau in the Bible, revealed in Genesis chapters 25 and 27; but he does not have a reputation for hunting game.  Remember Esau?  He loved to hunt and make delicious stew for his venison-craving father, Isaac—who just gloated over the skilled game-killer instinct in his beloved son. 

Now Cassidy, our black and white feline, displays a different scenario, as she mostly resembles the personality traits of Esau.  She certainly bears his tenacious heart as she loves the prey that meets her carnivorous cravings.  Bringing home the bacon is her delight in life…and she brings plenty!  Isaac would have been so proud to own such a skilled hunter of an animal. And on top of all that she just loves showing off! What more could an appreciator want? She leaves all kinds of gifts of birds, mice and large black gophers right at our door even though she is declawed. One large head, my husband Alan could not decipher. I refused to look even though he kept coaxing me.

 

Often, when one of these creatures is caught in her powerful and speedy jaws, she will produce such an excruciating meow, it brings us running to the window where she gleefully displays the distressed captured creature…producing a personal energetic audience to her delight.    

 

I am afraid Rebecca, Isaac’s wife, would have disapproved of Cassidy and would have sought a way to dispose of this show-off hunter-cat so she wouldn’t have to face the leftovers.  Remember…Rebecca doted over Jacob as he was the clean and well-manicured boy.  Only Alfredo would have been permitted on her premises.

 

Now, you can rightly bet Alfredo just mortifies Cassidy, just like Esau was embarrassed by soft pretty-boy Jac. Jacob was such a homebody and a mother’s boy, don’t you know!  

 

One day, Cassidy decided she had just had it with this softy!  She brought home a tempting live mouse and set it before Alfredo, who was, of course, simply reclining on the porch.  Alfredo slowly got up and graciously received her gift and played with it in appreciation till its life was spent.  I think Cassidy truly believed she had finally reformed this stupid idiot.  However, within a short period, Alfredo was back in the house completely stretched out on his luscious bed, belly up!  Yes, Cassidy completely failed in her reformation mission which has resulted in her backtracking to growling and hissing at this odious red cat.  Oh well, life goes on Cassidy.

 

_________

 

Cassidy video with my sons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0Ik4gKVCc  She loves only me!

 

Val Lee

 

Poor Alfredo—True Cat Story

 

 

Poor Alfredo!!

Please no cards, he can’t read

 

Yes, this sad-looking cat with the Irish red fur and emerald green cast was color-coordinated at the vet’s. Boy was that a terrible night for my husband, Alan, and I. Alan is a lieutenant at the penitentiary and works swing and he didn’t arrive home till 11:00 p.m. Alan always looks for his cat when he comes home and when he discovered Alfredo wasn’t in the house; he went outside to look about. He located Alfredo in our cat shelter in the backyard. (Alfredo had been outside the entire day and this is very unusual for our indoor cat that hates to be away from us and thrives on attention. I had been so busy during the day that I hadn’t given him much thought till Alan started inquiring.)

 

Alan called me outside where I discovered Alfredo weeping in the shelter…it was a very mournful sound that disturbed my heart. I was afraid to move him noticing what appeared to be an injury to his leg. I knew I had to take him inside so I gingerly placed him in my arms. Sure enough as he was exposed to the light, we saw he had a badly wounded limb that Alan was sure was broken. We had to contemplate what to do at that late hour. Alfredo was in such excruciating agony that I decided to look in the yellow pages and wouldn’t you know, they have 24 hour emergency pet services.

 

We quickly departed for the animal hospital with Alfredo wailing, producing a wild siren effect. We did feel very bad for this ultra-loving cat who was not one to complain like Cassidy, our female cat.

 

We arrived at the odd-appearing clinic holding a Sci-Fi atmosphere, leaving us un-assured that it was really the right place. It just transmitted a Twilight Zone sensation through our beings. The late night hour just added to the peculiar environment. We approached the desk and introduced Alfredo with his dangling leg to a very bizarre man; who while diagnosing the situation, kept calling Alfredo, “handsome.”  Our cat was in pain and he just lingered and talked about this remarkable beautiful cat in very strange tones. Alan was not happy and became very disheartened when he brought out 5 to 6 forms to fill out before anything could be done. Then this vet-assistant wanted to go on and on concerning the inadequacies of the forms. He then rambled on and on about how we should take Alfredo to his regular clinic where he worked during the day so he could administers shots, explaining their life and death imperatives. Alfredo just waited and moaned with our inner groanings.  

 

I was eventually ushered back with Alfredo to the waiting room, just like they do in a regular human clinic. Alan came back extremely upset and gave the sign that he wanted to strangle that man. Alan had never even made this sign toward the worst inmate. I had never seen him do this before! Had Alan became part of the Twilight Zone too?

 

As we sat, we heard another patron come in and the attendant gave him the same lines, “Hi handsome, oh, what pretty markings,” etc. 

 

It took forever for the vet to come in. Like the customary people health care center, you sit in the first waiting room, then they sit you in the patient waiting room, then you wait forever to see the doctor. By this time there was no one else in the clinic.  Why was this female vet taking so long with our cat wailing and in such pain?  Alan, a bit impatient, stated the assistant probably had to wake her up. Well…I said, she must have had to shower, get dressed, and do her make-up and hair too. They probably had to run a late-night credit check as well before she would even speak to us.

 

When she finally arrived and examined the cat, she informed us it could possibly cost us up to a $1,000 as he probably needed an orthopedic surgeon. Then the dreadful attendant returned taking our sweet cat by the nape of the neck and carried him away like a criminal so the vet could splint his leg. Alan was greatly upset by then and disgustingly asked “What is he doing to MY cat?!!” I couldn’t believe my ears; it wasn’t that many years ago when Alan didn’t even like cats and he felt dogs ruled. Who was this man I was sitting next to?!! 

 

Now if this had been Cassidy, we would certainly understand this type of handling. She would have attacked this man like a mad-dog—we should have brought her along! Once, I actually took Cassidy to a vet, when I came to retrieve her, the vet acted and appeared as if she had gone through some type of war.  Wow, was she disheveled and upset. She couldn’t believe it when I just took Cassidy into my arms.  She kept saying she should be caged and went over all the problems she caused. She seemed to think Cassidy should never come in contact with human beings. Cassidy has been referred to as the “bad cat” many a time, but I was still surprised by this behavior. I think the vet thought I had gone on a wild jungle safari and captured her and brought her in just to test her veterinarian capability levels. Our son, Nate, was with me and on the way home, we just laughed and laughed and went over and over the vet’s lack of composure. I guess we should have prayed for her…I believe I did.

 

I’d better return us to poor suffering Alfredo; I’ve swerved over the yellow line enough.  

 

Following the splinting, the vet sent us off in search of a surgeon after charging us $270. She seemed to think if we didn’t go with a surgeon, he should be put down. We were broken, we had no thousand dollars. We loved our cat and to think of doing this was heart-wrenching. We decided we could at least have a surgeon evaluate him. This was Saturday night and tomorrow was Sunday and she said “The sooner the better.” 

 

He was in such immense pain we asked what we could immediately do and she informed us the Humane Society had an orthopedic surgeon who was present on Sunday.

 

We got home at 3:00 in the morning, with our concerned sons, Nate and Josh, waiting for us as we drove in. All night Alfredo wept in pain. I wept too as things seemed so bleak and hopeless. Alan was very depressed as well. Fortunately, we were given a couple medications and one assisted some with Alfredo’s pain.  We prayed this night for a solution so Alfredo could go on living.

 

Alan and I went to the Humane Society, following church. Alfredo enjoys the von Trapp children’s CD vol. 1, which contains a couple of hymns, which kept him calm during the ride. At the Humane Society they acted normal and treated us normal. Wow, it was wonderful!! We felt we had finally left the Twilight Zone of wacky people. They had us talk to the vet who simply told us our options and one was that he could be re-splinted as the current splint was too tight. Imagine that!! He stated most cat breaks heal themselves. He said surgery was the best option, but the leg would mend and the surgery was far less than quoted by the previous vet. He slightly elaborated by telling us how you could put a broken cat leg in a room, parts separated and they would find each other and heal.  What a relief!! No thousand dollars on top of what we had already spent!!! God made cat legs to mend easily and no wonder!

 

We didn’t understand why the first vet didn’t inform us of this fact and why we had to go elsewhere. Why didn’t she take an X-ray and provide other options?  She certainly seemed totally unknowledgeable after speaking with the Humane Society—you even need a second opinion with animals!

 

We have been praying and Alfredo is so much better. He is not wearing a splint, but seems to be healing fine. He is even back to chasing Cassidy.

 

Have a great day in Christ our Creator, Colossians chapter 1, who cares for even the tiny sparrows and family cats.   

 

_________

 

Cassidy video with my sons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0Ik4gKVCc  She loves only me!

                        

Val Lee